Features - page 84

For 2025, Porsche did something everybody was afraid of. Fans of the 911 were worried that electrifying the Porsche 911 would make it too complex and heavy, but what ended up happening is, Porsche schooled everyone on how to make a hybrid sports car that turned out to be quicker around the Nurburgring than a 992.1 Turbo S. That’s exactly what the 2025 Porsche 992.2 GTS achieved, so we can only expect the 992.2 Turbo S would be even more bonkers when it arrives.

The 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS is making a grand entrance, not just as a new model but as a technological trailblazer within the iconic 911 family. Its groundbreaking T-Hybrid system is set to become a mainstay in the upcoming 992 models, which is perfect because it all runs in the background, and you wouldn’t feel any difference apart from increased engine responsiveness.

Porsche purists are very particular about what you can and cannot do to a 911, especially if it is an air-cooled model. While this particular example of the German, rear-engine sports car is water-cooled, what the people at Street Bandito YouTube channel have done to it would, no doubt, irritate many Porsche enthusiasts. The Porsche 911 is considered, by many, to be the ultimate sports car that you can actually daily-drive, except maybe, the more track-focused variants like the GT3. Regardless, putting a V-8 engine, and an American one at that, into a 911’s tight engine bay is sacrilege in the eyes of the Porsche community. That said, there are certain scenarios where you could walk away with putting a pushrod V-8 engine in a Porsche 911, and this particular case comes pretty close to justifying the unusual engine swap.

Bugatti has dropped its latest masterpiece, the Tourbillon, and it’s unlike anything we’ve seen from the French automaker before. This bad boy isn’t just another W16-powered behemoth, oh no. It’s a hybrid hypercar with a heart that’ll make even the most die-hard gearlhead weak in the knees.

California-based company, Singer Vehicle Design is a little over 10 years old and continues to impress with its unique take on classic Porsche 911s. The company has evolved greatly since its humble beginnings back in 2013 and now features a fully-fledged workshop with a meticulously organized, multi-step process, which focuses on painstakingly perfecting every detail of the reimagined 911s, down to the smallest thing. This near-psychotic obsession with attention to detail has resulted in what is considered the benchmark for a perfectly reimagined classic Porsche sports car. Singer focuses on quality over quantity, which is why every variant of the company’s reimagined Porsche 911 lineup is produced in limited quantities and costs as much as (or more than) a brand-new Porsche 911. Throughout the resto-modder’s decade of manufacturing Porsche 911s for purists, Singer has made only four different models, not counting the different body styles. Here’s how the Singer lineup looks today.

The 2024 Porsche 718 Spyder RS is a Boxster that has been turned up to 11. With the engine borrowed from its track-focussed sibling - the 911 GT3 RS, the 718 Spyder RS is a force to be reckoned with. It is a fitting send-off to the gasoline-powered Boxster as Porsche transitions the model to electric power. The engine makes slightly less power than the GT3 thanks to a more restrictive exhaust and tops out at 493 horsepower, compared to the GT3’s 518 horsepower. Unfortunately, it does not come with a manual gearbox, and the only transmission available is the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic which sends power to the rear wheels.

The first-generation Porsche Cayenne (955/977) entered the market in 2002. Now while it might be getting on in years, don’t let that fool you. This luxury SUV still packs a punch and has a certain undeniable charm that newer models can’t replicate. Back in the day, its 996-inspired front-end looks, off-road prowess, and a range of engine options, including a 514-horsepower twin-turbo V8, made it a unique and compelling choice for enthusiasts who wanted a family hauler. Production of the Gen-1 Cayenne ended in 2010.

Currently, only two carmakers produce boxer engines – Porsche and Subaru. Normally, when you hear a six-cylinder boxer engine, the first to come to mind is the German automaker, famous for being the last brand to put an air-cooled engine in a high-performance sports car. Subaru is still sticking to flat-four engines for its models, but back in the golden era of Japanese sports cars, it introduced a six-cylinder boxer engine that could rival what Porsche had. The EG33 was the only flat-six Subaru engine to feature in a two-door coupe. It also served as a basis for future Subaru flat-six engines. In 2020, Subaru produced its last flat-six engine, but before that happened Subaru almost redefined the GT segment altogether, with a Porsche-sounding Subaru, powered by a flat-six.

Porsche’s legendary 911 has always been the quintessential everyday sports car. Since its debut in the ’60s, it has effortlessly blended performance and practicality, proving that you don’t need to sacrifice thrills for everyday usability. Now in its eighth generation, the 992 911 continues this tradition, boasting even more power and refinement while remaining a surprisingly versatile daily driver.

The first-generation Porsche Cayenne has seen something of a resurgence in recent years. People are beginning to recognize that the sporty SUV is more than just a ’mall-crawler’. It has become a popular Overlanding and weekend off-roader, especially in the early iterations of the GTS trim. When the Cayenne first came out back in 2002, it divided Porsche purists, some of whom argued that the German brand should stick to building sports cars. In 2006, Porsche participated in the harsh Transsyberia Rally, to establish the Cayenne’s offroad chops for good. The Transsyberia Rally consists of nearly 7,000 miles of varied and unforgiving terrain stretching from the Russian capital, Moscow to Mongolia.

Porsche promised to keep the 911 internal-combustion-powered for as long as possible, but in 2024, we were introduced to the first hybrid 911. While many Porsche fans were worried about the direction the iconic sports car took, Porsche put those trepidations to rest by schooling everyone on how to make a hybrid sports car without ruining it. Porsche was wise to keep electrification to a minimum, unlike other carmakers like Mercedes, which turned its AMG SL and AMG GT models into heavyweight bruisers in their range-topping 63 S E Performance variants. Those are now plug-in hybrids although they don’t boast a particularly high electric range – just 8 miles. Porsche decided to take a different approach with the 911, by developing an entirely new hybrid powertrain, revolving around a flat-six engine, internally dubbed the 9A3B6 engine. Here’s everything you need to know about Porsche’s clever, new T-Hybrid system.

The U.S. election is around the corner and depending on who takes the chair at the White House in 2025, it could have significant implications for global trade. A potential trade war between the U.S. and Europe could throw a wrench into your German luxury car dreams. By wrench, we mean a giant price hike that could make your wallet whimper. German brands after all dominate the luxury car market in North America, a key market for Porsche, second only to China. Brands like Porsche could be caught in the crosshairs because unlike their rivals with fancy U.S. factories (looking at you, BMW and Mercedes), the Stuttgart-based automaker relies solely on imports. This means tariffs from Uncle Sam could send Porsche prices soaring. Here’s a glimpse into how this trade spat could impact the iconic German brand, along with some strategies that could potentially help in mitigating these risks.